SLO grants more than $200,000 to CAPSLO

February 6, 2013

The San Luis Obispo City Council approved more than $200,000 in funding to the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo Tuesday evening after acknowledging allegations that the nonprofit is fraudulently handling homeless clients’ accounts.

The council unanimously approved $125,988 in grant funds to CAPSLO as part of the yearly Community Development Block Grant issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It also unanimously approved an additional $98,700 for CAPLSO, which will come from the general fund.

Councilman John Ashbaugh, a member of the CAPSLO Board of Directors, motioned to approve the CAPSLO funds. The council only questioned the appropriateness of granting $50,000 to CAPSLO for designs and drawing of its proposed homeless campus when a location has yet to be determined for the new shelter.

But, just before the 5-0 vote, Councilman Dan Carpenter attacked CalCoastNews for reporting that clients are alleging that CAPSLO is stealing their money.

“I’m taken back to the amount of credibility that people want to give to this one online media source,” Carpenter said. “This is one media source and its credibility to me is no good.”

Carpenter recently motioned to request that attorneys Stew Jenkins and Saro Rizzo give CAPSLO half of the more than $130,000 awarded to them in legal fees for winning a lawsuit on behalf of the homeless against the city.

Mayor Jan Marx, who cast the lone dissenting vote against the request of Jenkins and Rizzo, also defended CAPSLO.

“It’s very sad to me that an organization that is doing so much for the homeless and disadvantaged is being attacked in this way,” Marx said.

Special Election

After approving the CAPSLO funds, the council chose to hold a special election, rather than attempt to make an appointment to fill the council seat Andrew Carter is vacating on February 20.

The council voted 4-0 to direct staff to arrange a special election, most likely to occur in June or July, to fill Carter’s vacancy. Marx pleaded the other three council members to consider appointing someone over concerns that a 4 person council in the interim may lead to gridlock on important issues, like the budget.

But, Marx voted for the special election after saying that Carpenter has demonstrated trouble with comprising. Carpenter said Marx’s comment offended him.

Several local Democratic Party leaders and other members of the community asked the council during public comment to appoint 2012 candidate Jeff Aranguena and forego the special election. Aranguena, too, pled for an appointment, describing how tiring he found campaigning to be.

But, the council agreed that no candidate has a clearly compelling case for appointment and that the decision belongs in the hands of the voters.

45 Comments

John Ashbaugh read a long denial letter from Biz Steinberg, head of CAPSLO, during the meeting, despite Jan Marx telling him to make it quick. Ashbaugh will do anything to cover his tracks in this scandal. He needs to be recalled from his office immediately.

In response to the City Council’s arrogant display of protecting their own – “I’ve told them again and again that if you have something, show me,” said Carpenter on Wednesday. “I can’t do anything based on hearsay.” Simply, put you can’t do anything anyways, but lie, and manipulate the truth to protect yourself and your crooked friends.

Kevin Peterson professed his innocence even after he was sentenced to life. OJ was innocent, Stanley Milken (Junk bond king) was innocent, Jeffrey Dalmer was innocent, Kelly Gearheart is innocent, Mark Rizzo (City of Bell) is innocent and the list goes on and on.

Oh that is right, a City employee didn’t steal or misappropriate city property for personal gain, a bunch of idiots at the city didn’t dump hazardous waste at the back of the city yard and City administration didn’t lie and cover it up, a city employee didn’t charge unsuspecting residents for the services he was paid to perform as a city employee, a city employee didn’t elicit bribes to look the other way on public works projects (John Hildebrand), a city police officer didn’t deal drugs, two city police officers weren’t convicted of importing illegal contraband to the U.S., a city fireman wasn’t busted for beating another person to unconsciousness, a city employee wasn’t arrested for growing pot at the city’s water reservoir, a city employee isn’t running a personal business on city time, Clinton didn’t inhale, nor have inappropriate relations with that woman, a city councilperson isn’t a lying corrupt politician and the list goes on and on.

They all profess their innocence (in their minds they are, they were entitled to the extras, just like you are) and demand that proof be provided and then they claim “I never signed that!” Even after a conviction these people claim they are innocent or they really aren’t that bright and didn’t know what they were doing was wrong (Bob Citron, County of Orange Controller). So Councilman Ashbaugh, Torres, Hill, Gibson, Carpenter, Litchig, Codron keep claiming you and they are all innocent. In prison, they like those innocent types. So, if the story isn’t true then sue or shut up and confess!

Here is the crux of the matter, either the original story about CAPSLO taking advantage of the homeless is largely true, or it isn’t.

If it is largely un-true, then Karen and CCN really does have low credibility.

If it is largely true, then this city council has just committed a very grievous offence. If and when this breaks open into a full blown scandal, they can’t (we can’t let them) hide behind the lame excuse that they had no idea that there was anything amiss at CAPSLO.

You are right on the money, ether CCN has real evidence and the creditable witnesses or they don’t……….

I can’t believe however that Cal Coast News would print this type of a story without carefully verifying their sources as that is what competent investigative reporters must do to stay in business and retain their readers in this turbulent world of numerous political, economic and religious/ethical scandals!!!

I thought years ago that it was about time that someone from the “outside”, investigate SLO. I can’t say I’m surprised by lastnights outcome, I mean, considering who sits on the City Council…..
Nevermind, I’m, actually a lot of people are totally outraged by what’s been happening….by all the lies, the deception, the stealing from the less fortunate. There is something however that I am surpised over, and that is the comments that I have seen here on CCN since the “alleged” stealing from the homeless story broke…All the comments by people who are absolutely sickened, angry, or outraged, that an organization like CAPSLO, can steal (allegedly) from those who hardly have anything to begin with! I’m surprised that anyone believes the story! Especially when the homeless won their case because their constitutional rights were violated, which they were, especially since “all” the homeless were called alcoholics, drug addicts, panhandlers, and excepting free handouts! And those comments were towards “all” the homeless. But now, I’ve seen a change. Now I have seen comments that tells me not everyone believes that “all” the homeless are lazy A** bums. Don’t know what happened, but did y’all go back and actually read my older comments and finally understood what I was trying to say? I have actually done my homework well, and as far as I can see, so has CCN! In fact, they have their story down to a “T”! That tells me that they don’t just listen to hear-say, they work for their story, and they do a very good job! I’d like to work for those fine attorneys who helped the homeless and for CCN!

Willie keep up the caps. Means you are an individual with your own mind. Anyway WHO REALLY GIVES A DAMN. Sorry I had to shout to be listened to. My wife says that to me once in a while. i love it when she SHouTs. Sometimes it is her way of saying, “YOU ARE SUCH A WONDERFUL husband, I can’t wait til the 14th!”